Love Song For A Killer
by KuraishiOokami
Summary: Renka, a girl with a love for treasure and sweets, takes the hunter exam to become Treasure Hunter. Here she meets new friends and joins them in their adventures. But what if she falls in love with one of her friends? KilluaxOC. Will get better in later chapters. Rated T just in case.
1. Hunter Exam Round 1 Part 1

**-Hunter Exam Round 1 Part 1-**

**-Renka's POV-**

I had confidence I wouldn't fail this hunter exam. I was going to pass, and my dream would come true. I had gotten a tag with my candidate number on it from that green blob head from the Hunter Federation or whatever. I was #151. It was still early and it appeared we still had some time until the exam began. I spent my time observing the other candidates. Some of them would stare at me and start whispering about me. I couldn't blame them. After all, it must have been unusual to see a 12-year-old girl here. I could see in their eyes they underestimated me. I had a good eye for people, but among this mass I only spotted a few strong candidates. Most of them were not going to make it.

Someone from the crowd approached me. I knew right away this guy was no good. I could tell from the look in his eyes. His ugly potato nose didn't make my impression of him any better.

"Hey there, young lady! I'm Tompa. Nice to meet you!"

I decided to play nice. I would look like an innocent little girl. That way they might underestimate me. It could prove a useful trump card. "Hi, Tompa! Nice to meet you too! I'm Renka, but you can call me Ren-chan!"

"Ren-chan, huh? You must be new."

"How can you tell?"

"Easy! This is my 35th time!"

"Eh?!" I was surprised. He didn't even make if after 34 tries? Pathetic. What a loser.

"Yeah, I'm a veteran. I know all about the hunter exam, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask me!"

"Thank you! What can you tell me about the other candidates?"

He gave me a short briefing on a few of the candidates. "...And lastly there's the Amori brothers, #197, #198 and #199. Their teamwork is excellent."

"Thanks a lot for the information, Tompa."

"No problem... Say, what about a drink to celebrate our meeting?" He offered me a can of juice.

What was that slimy bastard up to? I wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks. "I'm sorry, Tompa-san. Mother told me not to accept drinks from strangers."

"Oh, yes." He looked a little defeated and awkward. I knew he was up to no good. "I'll be going then. Good luck on the test!"

"You too, Tompa-san!"

He disappeared into the crowd. Good riddance.

Not too soon after, a loud scream filled the tunnel. I looked up. Candidate #58 was on the floor, screaming and flailing around what was left of his arms. Someone had cut them clean off. In front of him stood a man who vaguely reminded me of harlequins.

"Oh, how strange.¨ He doesn't have any arms. Just magic, ladies and gentlemen." It was candidate #44. Hisoka was his name, according to Tompa. He had a malicious look on his face. The air around him felt dark and heavy. He was strong. Very strong. I could tell. I made a mental note to avoid him.

"AAAH! MY...MY..." The no-arms guy screamed.

"You have to be more careful. And don't forget to apologize when you hit someone." Hisoka's voice sent shivers down my spine. Fuuuh... What a creep.

He walked away and the crowd calmed down.

We were called to attention by a man who appeared out of a passageway in the wall. He looked like a proper gentleman. Only, one without a mouth. But he made up for the lack of a mouth with the most amazing curly moustache ever.

"Here I am. The time for the reception is over. Now, the exam can begin. This way please." The crowd gathered in front of him. "Well. We'll begin with a short verification... It's an extremely difficult exam. Sometimes you can miss a chance and can end up hurting yourself, or can simply die..."

I wasn't bothered. I knew the risks.

"There are moments, like a little while ago, where we get irreparably hurt in an accident with companions. There are things that can't be avoided. Now, please follow me."

I walked along with the crowd. Next to me was a group of three. A boy around my age with spiky dark hair carrying a fishing rod, an older girlish looking guy with blond hair and a tall old man with sunglasses carrying a suitcase. I hadn't expected to find any other kids here. This should prove to be interesting.

"Count is ok," said the moustache man. "404 Participants for the first round of the exam."

"It seems obvious, but nobody abandoned yet," said the suitcase man. "Nevertheless, I hoped that..."

The people sped up.

"It's weird..." said the blond boy.

"What's happening here?" asked the suitcase guy. "They're all so rushed to get out of here?"

"I was right! The rhythm is getting faster progressively!" said the blonde.

"The ones in the front have all started running!" said the spiky kid.

I had to run to keep up now too.

"I forgot one detail," said the moustache man. "I'm Satotsu, and I'm in charge of the first round. So I must lead you to the place of the second round."

"The second round...?" said a bald guy whose name I believed was Hanzo. "You mean the first-"

"The first has already begun," said Satotsu-san. "If you're able to follow me to the place where the second round stands, you'll have passed the test. I can't tell you where or when we'll arrive. You must be content with following me."

"I see," said the blonde.

"This test is weird..." said Spiky.

"An endurance test?" said the tall guy. " I'm enjoying it! Where he goes, I go!" He grinned.

The spiky kid looked at me and smiled. "Hi! I'm Gon! What's your name?"

"I'm Renka, but you can call me Ren-chan!" I replied with a smile.

"Ren-chan, huh? You look kinda cute," said the tall guy with a grin. "I'm Leorio!"

The blonde introduced himself. "I'm Kurapika. Nice to meet you."

So he was Kurapika, huh. He seemed stronger than most other candidates.

"Nice to meet you too!"

"So, Ren-chan. What is a little girl like you doing here?" asked Leorio.

Taking the hunter exam obviously, doofus.

But before I could answer another kid sped past us on a skateboard.

"Hey! Kid! That's not allowed! That's cheating!" Leorio yelled pointing at him.

"Why?" asked the silver-haired kid.

"Why? 'Cause it's an endurance test!"

"You're wrong! He just asked us to follow him, didn't he?" said Gon.

"Gon! Which side are you on?!"

"You should conserve your energy. You're just noisy right now so... The principle is that there are no principles," Kurapika said.

The silver-haired kid looked at me. I sensed he was strong. I flashed a smile. He stared, then looked at Gon.

"Tell me... How old are you?" He asked Gon.

"Almost 12!"

"Hmm...? Just like me... Finally, I'm also gonna run." The kid flipped his board and caught it in the air and started running.

"Cool!" exclaimed Gon

"And you?" the kid asked me.

"I'm already 12," I answered.

"I'm Killua," he said.

"I'm Gon and this is Ren-chan!" Gon said.

"And you, mister?" Killua asked Leorio.

"Hey! I'm not that old! I'm from the same generation as you!"

What? No way! I almost tripped over my own feet. He looked so old!

"ARE YOU SURE?!" Killua and Gon yelled in unison.

"Argh! Gon, it's finished! I'm never talking to you again!" Leorio yelled.

I couldn't help but laugh. They sure were a lively group. These guys ought to entertain me. Yup, I was gonna stick around.

* * *

After three hours of running, Leorio wasn't doing so well anymore. He looked both exhausted and agitated.

"You ok?" asked Gon.

Leorio didn't answer. He was going slower and slower until he finally stopped and dropped his suitcase. He was panting heavily. I hadn't known him for very long and I wasn't particularly fond of him, but I felt sorry for the guy.

"Leorio!" Gon yelled and stopped.

Killua and I stopped too. "Come on. Here, we're not having fun, Gon," said Killua, motioning for us to continue. But Gon didn't move.

"Mpf. That's enough..." Leorio panted. "I'M READY TO DO ANYTHING TO BECOME A HUNTER! YES!" He screamed and shot forwards like he had been fired out of a cannon. He left us far behind. He had forgotten about his suitcase, though.

Gon was about to start running again when he noticed the suitcase still lying there. He grabbed his fishing rod. With one swing it caught on to the suitcase and he pulled it back with ease. Now that was some skill!

"Oh! That's cool, your trick!" Killua said. "Would you let me try after?"

"Only if you lend me your skateboard!" Gon replied.

"Can I try too?" I asked Gon.

"Sure!"

We caught up with the rest. After another 20 km we reached a very, very long staircase. Great...

"Well, let's pick up the pace," Satotsu said and sped up the staircase.

Gon, Killua and I were a lot faster than the other candidates. We now ran up front, right behind Satotsu.

"I didn't notice that we were in the front," said Gon. Even he was starting to get a little sweaty now.

"It's because the rhythm isn't very fast," Killua replied. "In fact, not moving the fastest way is more tiring. The hunter's exam seems very accessible in reality... It's not funny."

"Why do you want to be a hunter, Killua?" Gon asked.

"I don't really want to be a hunter... I've heard it was something extremely hard, and I thought it sounded interesting. But I'm disappointed." So he was just in it for the kicks, huh? This first test wasn't much of a challenge. So that's why he seemed so bored. "What about you?" he asked Gon.

"My father is a hunter! My goal is to become a hunter like him!"

"Your father, what kind of hunter is he?" Killua asked.

"I don't know!"

Killua laughed. "Haha! That's not ordinary!"

"You think so? My aunt took care of me, and I've only seen my father in photos. But a few years ago I met a guy named Kaito who taught me a lot of things about my father."

"And that's a super thing?" Killua asked.

"I don't know. But Kaito seemed so happy, and so proud to be able to speak of him. So I thought that I wanted to become a hunter like my father."

"Are you gonna go looking for him?" I asked. Gon was one special kid alright. He had a pure soul.

"Yes! After I become a hunter I'm gonna start looking for him!" Gon said with a grin. "What about you, Ren-chan? Why do you want to be a hunter?"

"Me? I want to be a treasure hunter. Not treasure as in gold and stuff. I mean rare items. Like the Scroll of the Stars and the Elixir of Pain. I love collecting stuff, nyaa... I'm going to start with a collection of all the rare candy of the world and I'll make my own candyland paradise!" I was getting carried away again. Talking about treasure and food always filled me with joy. "Nyaaa... Chocolates..." I could talk about my candyland plans the whole day...

Killua laughed. "Candyland, huh? I like sweets too. Mind if I visit?"

"Hmm... I don't really like sharing, but I suppose I could make an exception," I said with a bright smile.

"Can I go too?" Gon asked.

"Of course!"

"LOOK!" someone screamed. "THE EXIT!"

Relief washed over the candidates when they spotted the exit. We stepped outside.

"Ooh!" Gon said.

We were looking at a broad landscape. From the looks of it, it was a marsh.

"The Numelle's Marsh nicknamed The Crook's Nest," Satotsu explained. "This is the place where the second round will stand. You'll have to go through here. The rare animals you'll find in the marsh eat humans for lunch. They're birds of prey as well as gamers. Follow me and pay close attention! Losing the way results in death."


	2. Hunter Exam Round 1 Part 2

**Thanks a lot for the favs and reviews!**

**Also, feel free to point out any mistakes I made and feel free to provide constructive criticism. **

* * *

**-Hunter Exam Round 1 Part 2-**

**-Renka's POV-**

"The living beings in this marsh are going to do all that is possible to have fun and make a good lunch. The predators who find a prey rush at it. That's it, the ecosystem. And that's why this place is called The Crook's Nest. Take care not to be surprised. Do your best to follow me."

"THAT'S FALSE! HE'S LYING TO ALL OF YOU GUYS!" A wounded man stepped out from around the corner. "HE'S AN IMPOSTER! HE'S NOT A JUDGE AT ALL! BECAUSE THE REAL JUDGE IS ME!" He yelled pointing at Satotsu. He was spreading doubt among the candidates. "LOOK AT THIS!" He held a seemingly dead monkey with Satotsu's face. "It's a monkey man! One of those that live in Numelle's Marsh! The monkey men like fresh flesh. They have long thin limbs, but overall they're weak. They let themselves be tamed by men. They know how to use our language skillfully, and manage to trick men in the marsh, where the other monsters, that get along with them, are waiting to capture their prey alive! His only purpose is to get rid of all the candidates in one time!" He pointed at Satotsu again. By now, I knew Satotsu was the real examiner. An examiner was also a hunter, and a real hunter would never be deceived and beaten up by a mere monkey man.

Then, from out of the crowd, playing cards as sharp as daggers flew right into the imposter's face. He stared in shock, the cards dug deep into his flesh. Cards had also been thrown at Satotsu, but he had easily caught them out of the air. The one who threw the cards was... Hisoka!

"He he. I see, I see." He said with that creepy voice of his while shuffling a deck of cards.

The seemingly dead monkey man with Satotsu's face suddenly got up and fled. Hisoka threw a card after him which hit the monkey in the back of the head. He fell to the ground dead.

"With this, it's all cleared. He's really the right judge." Hisoka motioned at Satotsu. "In fact, judges are hunters that do this freely at the jury's request. So there's nothing odd about a hunter, even from second zone, stopping that kind of attack."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Satotsu said. "However, the next time you use such intervention against me, whatever the reason, you'll be disqualified. Am I understood?"

"Yes, yes."

Birds had already started to feast on the corpses of the monkey men. People stared in disgust.

"This is what will happen to losers," Satotsu explained. "It's the law of nature. No mercy! I am curious to know how many of you believed this imposter, and were ready to follow him? You have to be vigilant. Survival here is an instant struggle."

Leorio pulled a weird face. Obviously, he was one of the guys who'd believed the imposter. "How many of us...? Aren't you insinuating that we were part of these guys?" Leorio was such a bad liar...

"Let's go to the second stage of the tests!"

Satotsu lead the way. We marched after him. After a while it was starting to get foggy.

"Let's go to the head?" Killua said.

"Yep. We should keep an eye on the judge!" Gon replied.

"I just say it's more prudent to get away from Hisoka," said Killua

I knew what he meant. I could feel Hisoka's bloodthirst creeping up on me.

"He wants to kill somebody, and he becomes impatient. No doubt he'll use the fog," Killua added when he saw Gon wasn't following. He smiled at Gon's expression. "You shoulda seen your face! If I know it, it's because he and I are of the same race! I can feel it, if you prefer..."

"Hm. Of the same race? I couldn't tell..." Gon said.

"You shouldn't rely on appearances. Do you understand?" Killua grinned slightly.

"Ah. LEORIO! KURAPIKA!" Gon yelled. "KILLUA SAYS IT'S BETTER TO GO TO THE HEAD!"

The whole crowd sweatdropped. The look on Killua's face was hilarious! I couldn't resist laughing.

"IMBECILE! IF WE COULD GO, WE WOULD GO!" I heard Leorio yell back.

"They don't seem to be so stressed..." Killua said to himself.

"I bet they just can't feel it," I said.

Killua smiled a cheeky smile at me. "So you can feel it too, huh? Maybe I underestimated you a little bit. I hadn't noticed you were like me."

I returned the smile. "I have plenty to hide."

After a while we heard some screams coming from the fog somewhere behind us. Some of the other candidates must have been tricked by the local fauna.

"What are those noises coming from behind?" Gon asked looking over his shoulder.

"They might have been trapped," Killua said.

"It's probably the local wildlife. Or maybe Hisoka is on a major killing spree," I said.

Gon kept looking behind him. He was worried about Leorio and Kurapika. It showed on his face. He contemplated falling back.

"Gon!" Killua said, but Gon didn't hear him. "GON!" he said again.

This time Gon heard him. He turned around. "Yes? What?"

"Don't act stupid. It's not the time to be worrying about them."

"Yeah," Gon muttered.

"Look! Even the guys that are just in front of us are in the fog! Take your eyes off them for just one second and it's over! The best you can do is pray you don't hear your friends crying!"

Right when he said that we heard a familiar scream. Gon immediately dashed off. "LEORIO!"

"GON!" Killua screamed after him.

"Don't worry," I said. "He'll be alright." Gon was a special kid. He was going to be just fine.

"Hmm..." Killua just gave me a look.

We arrived at the spot of the second test. There was some kind of warehouse with big double doors and a clock suspended above them.

"Congratulations to those of you who managed to get out of the marshes alive and well!" Satotsu said. You are now in the Biska Woods, the place where the second round will take place. On that note, I wish you luck for the next part of your trials." With that, Satotsu left.

I sat down under a tree. Killua followed me and leaned up against it.

"Looks like we can't go in yet," he said.

I looked up at him and for a moment his eyes met mine. They were a pretty blue. I liked it. They reminded me of the Lost Sapphires of Erronan which were said to have mystical powers.

I heard something rustling in the green beside me. A bunny jumped out of the bushes and hopped right next to me. "Ah! Killua! Look!" I pointed. "It's a bunny! He's so cute! Look at that cute little nose and those floppy ears and that fluffy tail! I shall name you Mr Fluffykins! Nyaaaaa~ I'm gonna take you home with me!"

Killua snickered. "You sure love bunnies."

"Only when they are alive," I replied.

Killua gave me a weird look. "You're very... unique..."

"I'll take that as a compliment." I focused on the bunny again. "Here, Mr Fluffykins! Here!"

Then all of a sudden someone snatched the bunny by his ears. It was Hanzo. "Lucky! I was getting hungry!" He twisted the bunny's neck and walked off with it.

My jaw had dropped. "My Mr Fluffykins..."

"Don't sweat it. You can buy yourself a new pet rabbit after the hunter exam," Killua said.

"No, I'm not very good with pets anyway. I usually forget they even exist."

"Hmm. You think Gon is okay?"

"I hope so. It's been a while now. Oh! There's Leorio!" I pointed at Hisoka who was carrying Leorio under his arm. He put him up against a tree and then mixed with the crowd. Leorio had a nsaty bruise on his face. It looked kinda funny. "But where are Gon and Kurapika?" As if on cue Gon and Kurapika entered from the forest. They went straight to Leorio.

"There they are!" Killua said. We walked up to them.

Gon saw us coming. "Killua! Ren-chan!"

"Yo!" said Killua. "You use some kind of special attack, or what? I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Yeah, even I was getting worried!" I said.

Gon explained how he had found his way by sniffing out Leorio's aftershave. Wait... Aftershave? Was he like, part dog or something? Though I had to admit it was impressive.

"Thanks to his aftershave?!" Killua yelled.

"Yes."

"You're no ordinary guy..."Killua's expression showed both surprise and awe.

"Ah? You think so? So why can't we get in?" Gon asked.

"Look." Killua pointed at the sign above the door that said the next trial would start at noon. "All we can hear are some weird groaning noises. All we can do is wait."

"It won't be long."

"Yup."

It was a short wait. At noon exactly the double doors slowly creaked open. The second test was going to begin.


	3. Hunter Exam Round 2

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Chapter 4 will be up soon as well! **

* * *

**-Hunter Exam Round 2-**

The door opened to reveal a girl and an enormous pig of a man. The pig's stomach was rumbling like crazy.

"So, you hungry?" the girl asked the pig.

"You bet! I'm starving!"

"Therefore the theme of the second trial will be... COOKING!" the girl announced. "I'm Menchi. This is Buhara. We are both fine gourmet cooks! Thus your mission will be to satisfy our appetites by cooking us a meal!"

Cooking, huh? That wouldn't be a problem for me. The others looked surprised, though. Most had probably never cooked before. Poor guys.

"You'll start by cooking the plates I ask you for..." said Buhara.

"Then, those who qualified will have to satisfy me!" Menchi continued. "You will qualify for the third round if you hear 'It's good'. The test will be over when we're no longer hungry."

"They can't be serious! I've never cooked!" Leorio exclaimed.

"I never thought there'd be such an exam..." Kurapika said.

"For me it'll be... roast pork! That's what I like best!" said Buhara. "I don't care what pork it is, as long as you chase it in Biska Woods."

"Okay. Let the second round begin!"

Everyone dashed off into the woods in search of pork.

I wandered off on my own. I didn't need any help. I spotted some pigs in a clearing nearby. I settled down on a hill to observe. They were big with giant noses. Those giant noses appeared to work as a shield. Then perhaps there was a weak spot they were trying to protect? Somewhere in or around the face, perhaps. The forehead area seemed to be the most protected, so I was gonna go with that. I wasn't entirely sure, but it was worth the try anyway. I pulled a lollipop with a colourful plastic wrap out of my bag. Strawberry flavour. I chose the closest pig as my target. I carefully aimed for it's forehead and threw my lollipop.

I had often used lollipops as weapons. Nobody ever expected lollipops to be used as projectiles. And a girl attacking you with a lollipop didn't seem very threatening, now did it? But they were wrong if they thought I was just a sweet little girl. I could throw those lollipops hard enough to shatter someone's skull.

The lollipop hit the pig on his forehead. The animal toppled over. It was dead. The other pigs didn't seem bothered by the death of their comrade. They just continued doing whatever it was pigs did. I slowly made my way down so I wouldn't disturb the other pigs. I picked up my lollipop and stuffed it back into my bag. Then I carefully dragged the pig away from the herd. I didn't feel like angering those pigs and having to kill all of them. When there was enough distance, I made a fire and started to roast the pork. When it was done, I took it back to Buhara.

"Here you go!" I handed him the roast pork.

Buhara gobbled it up. "It's good."

Which meant I passed the first half of the second test. I would have felt extremely good about it too if only Buhara didn't pass every single pig he ate, even if they were only half-cooked or burned.

When time was up he had consumed 70 pigs... How on Earth had he done that?!

"Those hunters are incredible people! In a way..." Gon was clearly impressed.

"It doesn't make me want to be like him..." Killua said.

"No, me neither... Gosh, I hope he doesn't explode or anything..." I imagined him bursting and the entire content of his stomach flowing out in a tsunami-like wave. That was gross. Why do I keep visualizing stuff like that? I shook my head and looked to my right. I had to stop myself from laughing. Kurapika's expression was absolutely hilarious.

"This is impossible... He consumed a quantity larger than his own body!"

"Yeah, I'm baffled as well," I told him, still trying to suppress a chuckle.

"It's no use worrying about that..." Leorio told us.

"All you ate was good?" Menchi asked. "This way it's not a test anymore!"

"So what?" Buhara said. "We still eliminated a lot of participants! Anyway, we're not here to judge the taste today."

"You're too nice. Remember that gourmet hunters must respect the sense of taste. Alright. What's done is done. ROAST PORK TEST! 70 QUALIFY FOR THE NEXT ROUND! I'm warning you. It won't be as easy with me! I'm very cautious when it comes to taste! Second round, phase two... Here's my order... I WANT SUSHI!"

Everybody got this stupid look on their face. I overheard some of their whispers. Seemed like nobody knew what sushi was. How could they not know? It wasn't a local dish, no, but sushi was quite well-known. Why were these people so ignorant?!

"You all seem bothered, but even if you've never seen them, you can still make them," said Menchi. "It's a small island's traditional meal. I'll give you a hand!" She showed us to a place where cookware was set up for us. "Look over here! You'll be cooking here! Everything is all set up. There's also the rice, essential in making sushi. One last thing! I'll only accept handmade sushi! Alright! It's up to you now! You can make as many as you'd like, but don't forget that when I'm full, the trial is over!"

"Do you think we only use rice?" Gon asked.

Killua inspected a knife. "Judging by the cooking ware, I doubt it."

I was pretty sure we were supposed to make nigirizushi. I normally used freshwater eel, but I didn't think I would be able to find that here. This place and it's animal life were rather exotic after all. I should go outside and see what kinds of fish I could find. I wanted to go, but I saw the guys were having a bad time.

Leorio was thinking pretty hard. "Handmade sushi... I can imagine the shape but... I don't see what ingredients we have to use..."

"I've never seen them either, but I've read books which spoke about them," Kurapika whispered so the other candidates wouldn't hear. "You add white vinegar and dressing to the rice which you mix up with raw fish. That's the theory."

"FISH?!" Leorio yelled. "Where can we find that in the middle of the forest?!"

Kurapika threw a rice paddle at his head. "Why don't you speak louder, moron! There must be pools or rivers around here!"

"Fish!" "Fish!" The other candidates had overheard them and ran out in search of fish. Well done, Leorio... I facepalmed.

"Damn! They were all spying on us!" He yelled. Kurapika and he dashed out as well.

I went out as well. It wasn't hard to find a body of water. I settled for a small lake. I put my bag under a tree so it wouldn't get wet and took my shoes and socks off. I was wearing a black hooded sleeveless sweater dress that reached to my knees. I didn't want it to get soaked, so I pulled that off as well. I walked to the lakeside in my black shorts and blue tank top. I took a deep breath and dove into the lake. There were all kinds of weird fish I had never seen before. I didn't know how any of these fish tasted, so I chose one that looked slightly normal. I chased after a green fish. I wasn't as fast in water as I was on land, so it took me some time to catch it. In the end I managed to get my hands on him and swam back to the lakeshore. I was drenched. Boy, was I glad I'd brought a towel with me! I got the towel out of my bag and dried myself. My shorts and top were still drenched, though. Oh well. They would dry soon enough. I put my sweater, socks and shoes back on.

"Ren-chan?" I turned around to see Killua, who had casually been strolling through the woods with a recently caught fish in his hand.

"Yo," I greeted him with a small wave. "Wanna walk back together?"

"Sure."

I looked to see what kind of fish he'd gotten. It was blue and puffy. It didn't look very edible. "That doesn't look very tasty," I remarked.

"Neither does yours. It's face looks like Leorio's." He pointed.

I studied my fish. "Oh, so it does!" I agreed with a smile.

Killua laughed. "So, do you have any idea how sushi is made?"

"You don't know? Hmm... Fine, I'll explain it to you. It's easy, really." I thoroughly explained to him how nigirizushi was made.

"That _is_ easy. You know a lot about cooking, don't you?" He flashed a smile.

"I guess... But I've never cooked with these kinds of fish before. I've never even seen them. I just hope I don't end up poisoning the examiner or anything. It's likely to happen, knowing my luck..."

"No, they probably know what fish is edible and what isn't."

"I surely hope so."

"Where are you from anyway?" He suddenly changed the subject.

"Eh? I'm from the country of Sevidia. It's well known for it's colourful wildlife, especially our giant eagle-parrots. Tourists come to our country to take flights on them all the time."

"Aah! That must be cool, flying on a bird like that!" He had a boyish look on his face.

I chuckled. "It _is_ cool! We have our own eagle-parrot! He's called Phoenix, because he has fiery red and orange feathers!"

"Really? That is great! So you can fly on him every day, huh?"

"Not really. I have to share him with my brothers, so we have to take turns. But he _is_ awesome!"

"Can I fly him sometime?"

"Of course!"

"You know, you're really easy to talk to. I like that about you."

"Thanks!"

Meanwhile, we had already arrived at the warehouse. I went back to my spot to start making sushi, but first I checked on the other guys to see how they were doing. The first thing I noticed was that Leorio was making his sushi all wrong... He just put an entire fish into a ball of rice! He didn't even bother to slice it up or anything. He seriously needed help.

"Alright!" He appeared to be proud of his creation.

"Leorio," I began. "You're not doing it ri-"

"I'm ready!" he interrupted me. He hadn't even heard me! "I'm the first one to finish it! I call it Leorio's Special! Come on! Taste it!" He showed Menchi his dish. Menchi examined it, was momentarily stunned, and then violently threw it away.

"Are you crazy?! Where were you taught to throw away food like that?!" Leorio yelled angrily.

"What? You failed. Listen! The shape is very important! A shapeless sushi can't be good!"

"Damn! I was sure I did it right!" Leorio said defeated as he walked back.

"Ok, my turn!" Gon's meal looked only slightly better than Leorio's.

"Gon!" I yelled, but he had already gone to the examiner.

Humph, if they weren't even gonna listen, I wouldn't help them either!

"It's as bad as #403!" Menchi yelled.

"As bad as Leorio...?" This upset Gon. I understood. I wouldn't want to be considered as bad as Leorio either.

"Don't take it too hard, Gon," Kurapika said to cheer him up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" muttered an angry Leorio.

A lot of other people tried, but Menchi never even took one bite. I supposed I should make a start on my sushi. I was molding the rice when I heard someone yell.

"That's it!" Kurapika seemed to have had an epiphany! I had high expectations from him. He was really knowledgeable! However, his so-called sushi looked exactly like Gon's...

"No better than #403!" Menchi threw his dish away.

I chuckled at Kurapika's painful expression.

"Hey, oh! Is that offending?" Leorio asked Kurapika.

"THIS CAN'T BE TRUE! YOU DON'T HAVE THE SMALLEST SENSE OF CULINARY ART?!" Menchi was starting to get mad.

"I believe it's my turn," Hanzo came forward with his sushi. "So? How about this?" Hanzo was supposed to be a ninja, so he should know about sushi. I took a peek. His sushi didn't look bad at all.

"Oh. Looks close enough to what I ordered," Menchi said. "Let's see." She ate it. "Nope. Not good!"

"Huh? WHAT?!" Hanzo was pissed. "Rolled rice shaped to be eaten in one bite with a layer of raeford... all of this covered by a fine slice of raw fish meat! It isn't more complicated than that! And you, you're telling me that there are great differences in taste depending on the person who makes it?!" Great. He blew the recipe. Now everyone knew how to make it. "Oops! Damn!" Hanzo said when he realised what he'd just done.

"You're saying it isn't more complicated than that? Great difference in taste?" Menchi was about to throw a fit. "ARE YOU KIDDING?! IT IS SAID TO BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD SUSHI, IT TAKES AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF PRACTICE! AND YOU, BUNCH OF IGNORANT FOOLS, EVEN IF YOU REPRODUCE THE SUSHI'S FORM, YOU'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE GOOD SUSHI!"

"Then why do you ask us to?!" Hanzo asked.

"SHUT UP BALDY OR I'LL KILL YOU! GOT ANYTHING TO SAY?!"

So she expected us to cook like a five-star cook? Even I wouldn't make it then. Man, was she unreasonable! She was starting to piss me off.

"That's what you get for making me angry! I'm even hungrier now! NEXT!"

Candidates rushed from all sides now that they knew the recipe, but she wouldn't pass a single one of them.

Killua was unfamiliar with cooking, but he had done quite well. Too bad she failed him as well.

I quickly finished my sushi. Finally it was my turn. She took a bite.

"BAD!"

Damn that woman! I was getting _this_ close to throwing a lollipop in her face!

She took a sip of tea. "Sorry, I'm not hungry anymore. IT'S OVER!"

What? So nobody passed? That was ridiculous! The crowd was getting restless.

She received a phone call from, I suspected, the Hunter Confederation. She was arguing over whether her judgement was just or not. She made it clear she wouldn't go back on her word, hung up and removed her cellphone's battery.

"QUALIFIED: ZERO!"

"Seriously...?" Leorio muttered.

People started to protest. This wasn't fair!

A candidate close to me smashed a table. "It won't stop here. If she thinks I'm going to go home saying 'Yes, of course'... I CAME HERE NOT TO BECOME A GOURMET, BUT A HUNTER! A HUNTER FROM THE BLACK, I MAY ADD!"

"Too bad," Menchi said.

"What?!"

"Tell yourself that you weren't lucky to be tested by us. Maybe you'll be luckier next year."

"What...? ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!" He charged at her, but he was slammed right out the double doors of the warehouse by Buhara.

"Buhara," Menchi said. "I don't recall asking for your help."

"Maybe," Buhara replied. "But if I didn't, you'd have killed him, wouldn't you?"

Menchi swung around her knives. "Maybe... Hunter of the black list, you're kidding, right? The type of hunter you want to be has nothing to do with this. Whatever type of hunter you are, you need to have a perfect knowledge of the art of fighting... In our quest for new food it isn't rare that we need to get into the nests of violent monsters and other kinds of beasts. And if we come face to face with poachers, we take action and stop them! You'll need to fight no matter what type of hunter you want to be! What I want to know is if you're able to take on a challenge in a domain you do not know?"

"That's one explanation, but does it justify such severity?" A voice was heard from up above us. Everyone rushed out of the warehouse to see what was going on. Up in the air we saw an airship. The logo of the Hunter Confederation was printed on the side. Was it the examination committee?

An old man dropped down from the airship. And from such height! But he landed without even slightly injuring himself. Who was this old man?

"Netero-san, president of the committee. The man responsible for the trials," Menchi explained.

"Responsible, yes, but I'm only an executor. And I'm here to solve this kind of problem... Menchi."

"Yes!" Menchi was suddenly very disciplined. I could tell she had her guard up. That Netero-san was quite something.

"Concerning their ability to take on a challenge in a domain they do not know... Do you believe the attitude they had in front of this trial justified such severity?"

"...No. Many facts troubled me. Mainly the lack of respect the participants had for cooking. Add to that the incident which permitted them to know the recipe of the order. It got my blood boiling and I lost my temper."

"Do you understand why you failed the mission which was ordered to you?"

"Yes. I'm sorry! When it's a question about cooking, I tend to forget my role. I failed as a jury member, didn't I? I quit my function. I'm asking you to declare this test to never have happened."

"You could easily continue, but the menu you chose was rather difficult. Alright! I know! You're going to go on! But as a compensation, you'll have to take the test also! How about it? This way it'll be easier for the contestants to accept your decision."

"Yes, certainly."

"Very well!"

"A boiled egg!" Menchi said. "President, could you give us a ride to that mountain?" She pointed at a mountain in the distance.

"I see. No problem!" said the old man.

We took a lift on the airship and were dropped off on the flat top of the mountain. In the middle of the mountain top, there was a deep ravine. I looked down, but I couldn't see the bottom.

"Here it is," Menchi pointed down.

"But... What's down there?" One of the contestants asked.

"Don't worry! There's a very deep river." She took off her shoes. "The current is very strong, so you'd better not fall in, unless you want to be washed ashore a dozen miles from here. Alright! Here I go!" She jumped off the cliff into the ravine.

"HUH?!" "BUT...?" The contestants stared in shock.

"It's here, on Mount Mafutatsu, that live the tarantula-eagles," Netero-san explained. "She went to get one of their eggs. Tarantula-eagles tighten strong lines between both rock faces and suspend their eggs to protect them from the attacks of land creatures."

Menchi grabbed hold of one of the lines. "You have to grab the line," she said. "Take one egg." She grabbed one. "And come back up climbing the rock face." She clambered up. "And finally, you have to boil the egg!"

"That looks like fun!" We finally got to do something interesting! I couldn't wait to jump!

"Cool!" Killua said.

"Yeah! I was expecting something more like that!" said Gon.

"That's more like it!" Leorio yelled in enthusiasm. "It's easier to take action than to do some traditional cooking! Let's go for it!"

We all leapt down into the ravine. "YEAH!"

I grabbed hold of one of the bouncy lines and reached down for one of the eggs. It was easy, really. I took one of the eggs and slipped it into the hood of my sweater dress. It should be safe there. I made my way back up the cliff. I climbed up over the edge. I checked on the egg. Yep, still safe. I put it in the big pot of boiling water that had been set up for us. Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika put their eggs in too. We waited for them to boil. When they were done, Menchi got one of the eggs out. In the other hand she held a chicken egg.

"Here's an egg like the ones you can buy... And here's a tarantula-eagle's egg. See the difference!"

I tasted both of the eggs. The tarantula-eagle's egg was delicious! It was very different from a normal egg.

"Maybe I made you better understand the joy of discovering exquisite new food? We risk our lives for it" Menchi smiled.

Thus ended the second round of the hunter exam. 42 People passed. I was very happy to know Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika had made it as well. They were growing on me. I was already used to having them around.

The candidates who passed all had to board the airship again. The ship was going to take us to the site of the next round. We gathered for a short announcement.


	4. Hunter Exam Game At Midnight

**Thanks for the follows, favs and reviews, everyone!**

* * *

**-Hunter Exam Game at Midnight-**

-Renka's POV-

We were gathered in a central room of the airship. Netero-san introduced himself. "It might be time for the remaining 42 contestants to know who I am. My name is Netero and I'm responsible for the trials and a member of the organization committee. I wasn't supposed to show myself until the final phase of the trials, but I came sooner than expected... Your anxiety is comprehensible, but I believe it's a good thing. So if you'll allow me among you for the time being..."

The green blob head was there too. He made an announcement. "We should arrive tomorrow around 8 at the next trial ground. We are waiting for them to contact us. You are free to do whatever you want until we arrive."

"Hey, Gon, Ren-chan! How about a tour of the vessel?!" Killua was still as energetic as ever.

"YEAH!" Gon yelled in excitement.

"Sure!" We explored the ship together. It was lots of fun. I really enjoyed hanging out with the guys.

After sunset we looked out of one of the windows at the lights of the city below. It was rather pretty.

"Great! It looks like a diamond!" Gon said, amazed by the view. He then turned to Killua. "Killua...?"

"Yes?"

"Have you got parents?"

"Huh? Yes! Of course."

"What do they do?"

"Assassins." So Killua was from an assassin family, huh? That would explain the weird air around him...

"Both of them?" Gon asked.

Killua burst out laughing. "Ahahaha! You really got me going! That's the first time someone's listened to me seriously and asked me that afterwards!"

"Why? It's true, isn't it?" Gon was so simple-minded and gullible... But I guess that was one of the reasons he was so much fun to be around.

What makes you say that?" Killua asked.

"Nothing really..."

"You're really strange... You can never tell if you're serious or if you're joking. That's what gives you your charm."

"Oh?"

"He's right though," I said. "You weren't lying. I can tell when people lie."

Killua smirked. "The reason you can tell when people lie is because you lie a lot yourself, right?"

"But I only lie when needed," I grinned sheepishly.

"At my place the main activity is assassination," Killua explained. "For everyone. And I'm not telling you how much pressure my family puts on me, but I don't like the idea of others deciding what I'll do with my life. When I told them 'I'll decide my own future by myself!' they all got mad. My mother started crying, telling me I had a gift for this job. It's horrible, parents like that. I can only be considered evil... To make a long story short, I beat up my mom and dad and ran away! They probably haven't healed up yet! If they come here I'll be in a lot of trouble but..." He smiled. "If I become a hunter, the first thing I'll do is arrest all my family! I'm certain to get a good reward!"

The way he said it so seriously made me chuckle. Gon sweatdropped.

A family of assassins, hm? Then he must be... "You're a Zaoldyck, aren't you?" I asked with a smile.

"Yes."

"Thought so. Your family is quite famous after all"

"I guess. What about your family?" Killua asked me.

"My mother is an opera singer. My dad trains people, including me, to become hunters. My two brothers have their own rock band. That's pretty much it."

"A rock band? That's cool."

"Yeah, they are pretty good too. I find it far more enjoyable than my mother's opera, anyway. I really hate it when she hits those extremely high notes. They buzz in my ears."

"So why did you want to be a Treasure Hunter?" Gon asked.

"As a child I used to collect Meiun Dolls, also known as No-Face Dolls. They were very rare. There were 24 kinds total. Only a few of each kind were sold worldwide. I managed to collect one of each. I was so proud of my collection! When I look at them I really feel like I've accomplished something! Nyaaa~, I've loved collecting rare items ever since. I also have a one-of-a-kind jade dragon teapot and a rare vampire kitty soap dispenser! But I'll be able to collect much more interesting things once I become a hunter! Unyaa~!"

"A teapot and a soap dispenser? That's treasure to you?" Killua looked at me like I was crazy.

"Yes! Not only are they rare, they are actually useful! But it's just minor treasure of course. What I really want is old manuscripts and scrolls and special mystical items!"

I whipped my head around when I felt a strong killer aura from behind me. Gon and Killua did the same. But there was no one in the corridor behind us.

"What's happening?" We heard a voice from the left.

We turned around to see Netero-san. That malicious intent just now. It must have been him.

"Well? Netero-san, didn't you have the sensation somebody was closing in from there?" Gon pointed at the corridor to the right.

"No..."

"You're really fast for your age..." Killua remarked.

"You think? I was just walking, without haste..." He might have been old, but Netero-san was certainly not to be taken lightly.

Killua stared at him. He had a dangerous look in his blue eyes. "What do you want? Got nothing to do until the finals?"

"Such coldness! I'm bored, so I was looking for someone to play with," said the old man. "It's your first participation in the trials, right? You like it?"

"Yes! It's fun!" That answer was to be expected from Gon. "It's different than what I expected! There are no written exams, for instance..." I repressed a chuckle. He had been worried about that?

"I don't feel challenged," I said. "The tests up 'till now weren't very entertaining. I got to know new people, though. I guess that was fun."

"Me, I'm disappointed," said Killua. "I thought the trials would be harder. Will we finally have fun during the next tests?"

"Well... You'll see..." Netero-san was being vague.

Killua turned around and started to walk away, dragging me and Gon along. "Come! We're losing our time."

"Wait!" Netero-san called after us. "Don't you want to play with me? If you win, I'll give you the title of hunter!"

* * *

And that's how we found ourselves in a gym with Netero-san balancing a ball on his forehead.

"We've still got time before we reach the next trial ground. If you can take this ball, you win. You're free to attack me any way you'd like. I won't hit back."

"We just have to take the ball, right? Alright, I'll start." Killua stepped forward.

"Go ahead."

The look on Killua's face changed. He circled Netero-san. He used some kind of technique and suddenly Netero-san was surrounded by multiple Killuas! I couldn't tell which one was real. That technique looked very difficult. I was impressed. It must have been some assassination technique.

One of the Killuas charged towards Netero-san. That was the real one. The others disappeared. He was fast, as I had suspected, but Netero-san was faster! Netero-san easily dodged. Killua kept diving after the ball, but Netero-san blocked and dodged every time. Then Killua crouched down and performed a powerful roundhouse kick right against Netero-san's right leg! It should have been powerful enough to shatter Netero's bones! But Netero-san seemed unaffected. Instead, Killua was the one who had gotten hurt. He clutched his leg in pain and hopped around on his other leg. Netero-san was just fine.

Killua hopped back with tears of pain in his eyes. "His leg is as hard as a rock!"

Gon stretched. "Alright! My turn! GO!" He charged Netero-san in a frontal attack. Right in front of him he disappeared. Gon was fast too! He had jumped and... He hit his head on the ceiling... He fell to the ground and clutched his head.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Well, you can jump really high, but try and calculate your hit better next time!" Killua said. "Especially since he wasn't focused!"

Alright. I guess it was my turn.

Netero-san was balancing the ball on his left index finger. I charged from his left side. I reached out for the ball. He simply stepped backwards and dodged. I kept lunging from each side, but he dodged every time. I tried to kick the ball away, tried to punch it away, tried to grab it, but I never got it. I wasn't stupid enough to try and hit him. I'd seen what had happened to Killua. That old man had muscles of steel! I was very fast, but I seemed so slow compared to Netero-san. The old man had some speed! My turn was over rather quickly. I feigned an attack, but he saw through me. He simply stepped aside and I tripped over his leg. I fell right on my face!

"Ow..." I got back on my feet and rubbed my sore nose. I returned to the sideline.

"Wow, you're really fast, Ren-chan!" Gon complimented me.

"Thanks, Gon! Killua, it's your turn."

* * *

We went on for hours. I was starting to get tired and sweaty.

"We'll get nowhere like that!" Netero-san exclaimed. "I'll let the three of you attack me at the same time."

But even with the three of us attacking together, we didn't stand a chance.

"Pff. I'm done here."

"You're going?" Gon asked me.

"Yeah, we're not gonna defeat him anyway. I'm gonna get cleaned up and rest for a bit. You can go on if you want."

"Okay. I'm staying," Gon said.

"Yeah, I'm gonna stay for a bit too," Killua agreed.

"Good luck." They were gonna need it against that old fox.

* * *

I was on my way back from the bathroom when I spotted a hard-to-miss bloody mess in the corridor I was passing through. Someone had killed two contestants. Oh well. Less competition, I guess. I walked through the corridor, taking care not to step in any blood or guts. When I rounded the corner I came face to face with Killua. I almost jumped in surprise.

"Ah, Killua. Someone made a mess around the-" I stopped mid-sentence. He was shirtless. And he looked really good! "Ooh. Nyaa~!" I had a major nosebleed that made me feel like some kind of pervert. I gave him a thumbs up. "Nice body!" I said while I searched my pockets for a tissue against the nosebleed.

"Eh?" Killua blushed like mad. He quickly put on his turtleneck and shirt again. While doing so, I noticed he had blood on his left arm. It wasn't from my nosebleed. It looked older. Like the blood stains around the corner. Then the one who'd killed those guys was...

"So you made that bloody mess, huh?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Eh..." He looked like he wanted to deny it. His eyes showed conflicting emotions. I was sure he was the one who'd killed those guys. I assumed he was afraid I wouldn't want to hang out with him anymore if I knew the truth.

"I knew it! I was right!" I smiled at him. "Don't worry, the cleaning service will take care of that mess, so let's go." I started to walk.

He gawked at me.

"What?"

"You're not mad about-?"

"You killing those people? No."

He stared at me like I was mad.

"Shall we go?"

* * *

-Killua's POV-

What a remarkable girl. People didn't usually react this way when someone they knew had just slaughtered two men. She was something special alright.

I followed her to one of the rooms aboard the ship. There were some other contestants in there. Most of them asleep. She settled down on the floor against the wall. I sat down next to her.

"So, did you ever get that ball?" she asked.

"No, it's just impossible! That old bag! He didn't even use his left arm or right leg! Gon's still at it, though. I wonder how he's doing." That old geezer was tough. I didn't like him. He made me feel so agitated!

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Ren-chan asked suddenly.

"Huh? No. I can go three days without sleep." Talking to Ren-chan somehow calmed me down. It was weird. She just made me feel more at ease.

"Three days, huh? Say, would you mind watching over me while I get some sleep?"

"What? Why?" Did she sleepwalk or something?

"I don't feel comfortable sleeping in a public area surrounded by strange men."

"Oh." I understood. "Sure, I'll watch over you."

"Thank you." She leaned back and closed her mint green eyes.

As promised I watched over her while she slept. She looked so peaceful. She was actually kinda cute... Wait, what? Was I starting to like her? No. Of course not. That was ridiculous. Right?

* * *

-Renka's POV-

I awoke a few minutes before arrival. I was still half asleep. And I had had such a weird dream! It took me a second to remember I was on the airship on my way to the next stage of the hunter exam.

"Ah, you're awake?"

I almost jumped when I heard his voice. "Killua, you surprised me!"

He chuckled. "We're almost there."

"Really? Oh, nyaa~! Can I tell you about my weird dream?" I had this urge to tell someone.

"Go ahead."

"I was walking next to a cookie. And I kept telling the cookie how much I loved chocolate, so then the cookie invited me to a tea party. And when I arrived there were all kinds of chocolate cakes! And they looked so delicious! So I ate them, but then that cookie came back and he was angry because I had eaten all of his guests. He threatened me with a candy cane. Then I woke up."

"Do you have these kinds of dreams often?" He asked with a puzzled expression on his face. He must have been wondering if I was mental.

"I usually have dreams about food, treasure or very dark dreams."

"Dark dreams?"

"Yeah. Not nightmares, though. Just dark dreams. Like one time, I had this dream about a man whose face melted off. But those dreams don't scare me, so you can't call them nightmares."

He smiled. "Me, I dream of choco-robots. Most of the time, anyway."

"You like choco-robots too?" I asked with enthusiasm.

"They're my favourite!" He grinned.

"Nyaa~!"

That's when we heard an announcement over the intercom. "To all passengers. We are ready to land." Looked like the next test was about to start.


End file.
